December 9, 2021 EOG Reports “Significant Progress” on Decarbonization Project

The European Outdoor Group (EOG) reports significant progress from a project that it is facilitating to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase renewable energy usage within the outdoor industry supply chain.

The Supply Chain Decarbonisation Project (SCDP), part of the EOG’s wider Climate Action Programme, is a pre-competitive collaborative initiative that has already secured active involvement from 10 major brands during its pilot phase.

SCDP, launched in early 2021, is following a three-stage process. The first was a mapping exercise of the brands’ top tier 1 and 2 supplier networks, which confirmed that there is a degree of crossover in the facilities used by those companies involved. The second stage, which is currently underway, involves the engagement of an external partner to conduct facility audits and identify greenhouse gas (GHG) emission hotspots. The final stage will see the participating organizations jointly supporting and financing facility improvements.

SCDP exploits the fact that, while supply chains are global and diverse, many outdoor companies are sharing production facilities. In this context, the brands supporting the project are collaboratively engaging with their shared suppliers, engaging in peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and taking real action towards the decarbonization of the industry.

A joint effort to reduce carbon footprint

Dr. Katy Stevens

The strategy behind this effort is premised on the notion that by working together, organizations should be able to significantly reduce their individual financial outlay per facility intervention, which may encourage less experienced or financially constrained brands to take part in similar supply chain facility improvement projects.

“What we are doing here is unique and it really shows the value of the EOG as a facilitator, as the brands would not be willing to disclose the information to each other, but are happy to do so to the association as a neutral body. We know that our brands have shared suppliers and we see SCDP as a real opportunity to leverage change,” shares Dr. Katy Stevens, head of CSR and sustainability at the EOG.

“We had expected to see some commonality in the suppliers used by different brands, but were genuinely surprised by the level of that. This was from only 10 brands, and just their top 15 suppliers. If we can roll out this initiative across the whole industry, there will be a lot more crossover, with shared experiences and even more cost effective opportunities for collective decarbonization.”

To this, Dr. Verity Hardy, sustainability project manager at the EOG, adds:

Dr. Verity Hardy

“In collaboratively approaching facilities, our brands may have a greater influence in what infrastructure or technology improvements are made at each facility, and be seen as trailblazers in tackling GHG emission reduction. We are pre-emptively and proactively aiming for the outdoor industry to be part of the solution, as opposed to waiting until such time as European legislation forces companies into action.

“This project offers organizations an invaluable framework for joint action against climate change. The complexity of textile supply chains requires out of the box thinking to tackle the challenges of reducing the footprint caused by the goods produced and sold. SCDP not only offers a space where it is possible to strive for changes within the supply chain together, but also a great example that can be inspirational for other companies and networks.”

Top Photo: Jeroen van de Water on Unsplash